Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Comments
Hey if you want to comment on these last two, please do so here! I accidentally disabled them.
Tyler's B'day
So last weekend I had the delight of spending one night with my sister, Traci and my niece, Tyler, and four of her little friends to celebrate Tyler's 13th birthday! First of all, I can't believe I have a niece who is a teenager. And I can't believe my sister has a daughter who is a teenager - I remember when SHE was a teenager. It's just so weird. And Tyler is a really cool kid, like we could hang out and it would be totally fine, like hanging with a friend.
So my sister, being the ultra-hip mom that she is, planned a scavenger hunt on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the occasion. We stayed overnight (slumber party!) at a condo that they own in downtown LA. Let me tell you, these girls were so fun. They were up for anything, very outgoing. They ran all over Hollywood Blvd looking for various items, stars, painting their lips Marilyn Monroe red and their nails purple, taking pictures with perfect strangers and just having a generally outrageously good time. They even glued a quarter to the ground and watched people try to pick it up - how funny! Another thing that made it cool was that the Academy Awards were the next night (Go "The Departed"!) and so there were some famouses about (as my buddy, Sue, would say). We saw Lisa Ling and Roeper (as in Ebert and-) Tyler got interviewed on MTV! What a fun time we had. So Happy Birthday, Tyler, and thanks for inviting your old aunt to join you!
So my sister, being the ultra-hip mom that she is, planned a scavenger hunt on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the occasion. We stayed overnight (slumber party!) at a condo that they own in downtown LA. Let me tell you, these girls were so fun. They were up for anything, very outgoing. They ran all over Hollywood Blvd looking for various items, stars, painting their lips Marilyn Monroe red and their nails purple, taking pictures with perfect strangers and just having a generally outrageously good time. They even glued a quarter to the ground and watched people try to pick it up - how funny! Another thing that made it cool was that the Academy Awards were the next night (Go "The Departed"!) and so there were some famouses about (as my buddy, Sue, would say). We saw Lisa Ling and Roeper (as in Ebert and-) Tyler got interviewed on MTV! What a fun time we had. So Happy Birthday, Tyler, and thanks for inviting your old aunt to join you!
For the people
Okay, so I have been checking my friends' blogs and I have been irritated that they are not posting anything new for me. I guess I've been looking at it as a personal thing which it is not, of course. So then I thought, hey!, I should probably write something of my own for the people so here it is.
I am in court ALL THE TIME. I barely have time to process my cases and get ready for the next day. Then I drive 1.5 hours minimum both ways to work. Why do I do this? Because I love my job. I love working with kids and I love helping kids. Last week I spent some time talking with 3 teenage boys about drugs and getting into trouble. At first they were totally ignoring me and putting up a wall but by the time I was finished, they were looking at me and nodding, one kid in particular. It may not make a lasting impression but if it helps a little bit, it's worth it. When we got up to court, my bailiff called them punks. He thought they were beyond help and it ticked me off.
We have all these kids in the world who were raised by parents who weren't involved, had their own problems and basically provided no supervision or guidance. Then we expect them to grow up and be upstanding members of society? That isn't fair. Children need guidance and love and support. They need to be shown how to live with integrity, it isn't born in most of us naturally. So the next time you see a "punk kid", ask yourself why they might be acting out. Remind yourself if you have had wonderful parents that not everyone does. And how can we demand so much of someone without giving them the tools to succeed? It's like telling someone to build a house without giving them a hammer and a nail and some blueprints. These kids are living without blueprints. Thank God He will never leave them. And He loves them more than we ever could.
On a lighter note (literally):
Clark and I are still on the low carb diet and...I have lost 7 pounds! I'm so relieved that there is some reason for putting the kebash on my doritos; mashed potatoes; mac and cheese life. But the things that I think about most, even daydream about them, are cupcakes. I LOVE CUPCAKES! I will not leave them alone forever, someday I will return to cupcakes and I will love them as I always have. Sorry Dr. Atkins, that is just one God-given gift that I cannot fail to delight in.
I am in court ALL THE TIME. I barely have time to process my cases and get ready for the next day. Then I drive 1.5 hours minimum both ways to work. Why do I do this? Because I love my job. I love working with kids and I love helping kids. Last week I spent some time talking with 3 teenage boys about drugs and getting into trouble. At first they were totally ignoring me and putting up a wall but by the time I was finished, they were looking at me and nodding, one kid in particular. It may not make a lasting impression but if it helps a little bit, it's worth it. When we got up to court, my bailiff called them punks. He thought they were beyond help and it ticked me off.
We have all these kids in the world who were raised by parents who weren't involved, had their own problems and basically provided no supervision or guidance. Then we expect them to grow up and be upstanding members of society? That isn't fair. Children need guidance and love and support. They need to be shown how to live with integrity, it isn't born in most of us naturally. So the next time you see a "punk kid", ask yourself why they might be acting out. Remind yourself if you have had wonderful parents that not everyone does. And how can we demand so much of someone without giving them the tools to succeed? It's like telling someone to build a house without giving them a hammer and a nail and some blueprints. These kids are living without blueprints. Thank God He will never leave them. And He loves them more than we ever could.
On a lighter note (literally):
Clark and I are still on the low carb diet and...I have lost 7 pounds! I'm so relieved that there is some reason for putting the kebash on my doritos; mashed potatoes; mac and cheese life. But the things that I think about most, even daydream about them, are cupcakes. I LOVE CUPCAKES! I will not leave them alone forever, someday I will return to cupcakes and I will love them as I always have. Sorry Dr. Atkins, that is just one God-given gift that I cannot fail to delight in.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Blog Etiquette
So what is proper blog etiquette for adding someone to your links? Am I supposed to get permission first or just go for it? So far all the links you see were added completely without permission. Although, they are dear friends so I don't think they will hold it against me. I was just wondering b/c I'm new to all this...Have a fabulous and blessed day, my friends!
PS My favorite part about my blog so far is all the color that I can add - like this purple - I'm usually very plain so this is cool.
PS My favorite part about my blog so far is all the color that I can add - like this purple - I'm usually very plain so this is cool.
Friday, February 23, 2007
My Big Blog Debut
Well I'm in! I'm in the blog world, that is. I had the most wonderful dinner with my friends from college, Amber and Tracey, and much talk surrounded "the blogs". Although I'm not sure I can post often enough to keep you all happy, I will at least try it for a bit. I'm torn between sharing my thoughts and sharing my life stories. I think I will mix it up! And since I recently started the Atkins diet and I'm on carb-rage all the time...things might get interesting...
And for my first thought: Isn't it really interesting how friends from college are really different kinds of friends from every other stage of life? I mean, they know you better than anyone else. In high school you have friends that you don't really know because you don't even know yourself that well. If a friendship continues, you can grow together and learn each other which is great. But friends from college were with you all day and ALL NIGHT! And you played pranks with them and cried with them and double-dated with them. They seem to know you, the core of you, better than anyone else. And friends you meet after college are wonderful, but it is hard to find those "it" friends - where you can connect intellectually, spiritually, relationally and have fun together. And then it is hard to find the time!! I realized all this at dinner and I'm so thankful for my college experience and my wonderful friends (from every stage of life).
I can't wait for you all to join me on this journey. If nothing else, it will help us connect better across the miles or mile if you live near me.
And for my first thought: Isn't it really interesting how friends from college are really different kinds of friends from every other stage of life? I mean, they know you better than anyone else. In high school you have friends that you don't really know because you don't even know yourself that well. If a friendship continues, you can grow together and learn each other which is great. But friends from college were with you all day and ALL NIGHT! And you played pranks with them and cried with them and double-dated with them. They seem to know you, the core of you, better than anyone else. And friends you meet after college are wonderful, but it is hard to find those "it" friends - where you can connect intellectually, spiritually, relationally and have fun together. And then it is hard to find the time!! I realized all this at dinner and I'm so thankful for my college experience and my wonderful friends (from every stage of life).
I can't wait for you all to join me on this journey. If nothing else, it will help us connect better across the miles or mile if you live near me.
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Dinner with Tracey and Amber
